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6 Ways to ‘Pray Without Ceasing’

It’s there in the letter Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, that intimidating phrase, “pray without ceasing” or “pray continually.” I read it and wonder, “Is that really possible?” If so, how? Here are a few ways I try.

1) Love God with all your heart, mind and soul. When Jesus emphasized the importance of this commandment, it’s about priorities. What matters most in my life? How do I measure success? Where do I seek and find happiness?

Love is so much bigger in God’s world than it is in our mundane lives. We’re supposed to do it all the time, and this feels to me like praying. Continually. Living a life that puts our love of God—and loving our neighbor as ourselves—first. Every action, every reflection, every thought has the potential to be part of this BIG prayer.

2) Don’t limit your notions of prayer. Prayer is conversation with God. And mind you, silence is certainly an enriching part of any conversation—think of how we use that phrase “a comfortable silence” to describe the quiet between two people who know each other well.

When we’re with our loved ones we communicate so much without words. A sigh, a shrug, an embrace, a willingness to help. “Here, let me do that,” we say. Or we simply do it. By all means, use verbal prayer in your communication with the Lord. But don’t forget how much can be said without any words at all. Continually.

3) Give yourself moments of silence. Sit for a moment. Close your eyes. Listen to your breath. Breathe in God’s love…and breathe out some of the distractions that can so easily get in the way of a loving relationship. With God and those “neighbors” of ours.

Once again, silence doesn’t mean you’re saying nothing. It’s keeping the focus in the right place.

4) Use your body in prayer. I think of the old high school football cheer we used to say, “Lean to the left, lean to the right, come on team, fight, fight, fight.” We moved in the bleachers as we said it. Life is full of movement—we walk, we climb stairs, we sit, we stand, we lean, we bend. As you feel your body moving, feel the Creator work through you.

Sitting there in front of the computer. Pause and put your hands on the opposite shoulders or around your waist. Give yourself a hug. From God.

5) Give thanks. That very verse in Thessalonians is followed by the lovely admonishment: “give thanks in all circumstances…” It’s that “all” that often causes us to stumble. But think of the trials and setbacks Paul himself suffered. If he could give thanks in all things, can’t I?

The most thankful people are not necessarily the ones you expect. Volunteering at our church’s soup kitchen, I’ve gotten to know some of our regular guests. I can’t begin to fathom the misfortunes and losses they’ve suffered. And yet, they are the most grateful people I’ve ever met. As one of them said to me recently, “God is here.” Thankful without ceasing.

6) Let go. Living a life of constant prayer means living the Lord’s Prayer, backwards and forwards, especially that challenge of “Thy will be done.” Acceptance. Seeing that God’s will—greater than we might imagine is at work. Pray that without ceasing.

6 Ways to Pray While Shopping

During the recent holiday season I had many opportunities—I use the term reservedly—to shop with my lovely wife. She and I approach shopping differently. That is to say, she shops; I suffer. It doesn’t matter if we’re buying groceries, gifts or gadgets, the process of shopping (as opposed to walking straight to the item you intend to buy and taking it to the checkout lane as quickly as possible) is an agonizing experience for me.

But at some point in our recent crowded-store adventures, it dawned on me that praying might be a better use of my time and energy than pouting and protesting. Lo and behold, it was! It transformed the experience for me. So I offer here the fruits of my discovery in the hope that it may help someone else who isn’t totally engaged in the delights of shopping with a spouse:

1) Give thanks for the ability to shop.
How often do we shop and buy without a thought about how fortunate we are to be able to do so? Even a shopping curmudgeon like me ought to be grateful for the ability to shop, while many of our elderly and shut-in neighbors would love a trip to a store or mall, and many with much more limited resources would love to have just a portion of what we spend on groceries or gifts. So take a few moments as you shop to say “thank you” for the means and ability to go shopping.

2) Pray for those who lack the resources you enjoy.
While you’re at it, why not pray for God to comfort and bless those who lack the resources to buy a cartload of groceries or clothes or gifts? Take a moment to remember in prayer people who seldom get out of the house or must rely on others for transportation. Pray also for those who live in remote places, far from the shopping outlets you take for granted.

READ MORE: 4 TURNING POINTS IN MY PRAYER LIFE

3) Ask for the wisdom to be a good steward.
Every time you shop you have the opportunity to exercise wisdom. Will you buy things just because you can, “that you may spend what you get on your pleasures” (James 4:3, NIV)? Or will you shop according to God’s values, taking into account not only your desires but also the effects of your purchases on yourself, your family and others? So ask God to help you spend wisely.

4) Pray for those who grew or made the items you see.
Another way to pray while you shop (or your spouse does) is to ask God to help and bless the farmer who grew your vegetables or coffee beans and the laborers and manufacturer who made the shoes or toys you buy.

5) Pray for those who will receive and enjoy the things you buy.
It can also be a meaningful exercise to think about and pray for the people who will consume the groceries you buy (even if it’s just you) or the other items you purchase. For example, you don’t have to wait to ask God to “bless” the food at your table; you can ask it in the grocery store aisle.

6) Pray for those who serve you in the store.
Finally, send up a prayer for the employees who surround you in the mall or store where you shop. Pray for the person you ask for directions. Ask God to bless the pharmacist who fills your prescription. Intercede for the cashier who totals your purchase and the person who gathers the grocery carts in the parking lot. And when you have the chance, say something to them that might help to answer your own prayer.

You might not be as grumpy as me when it comes to shopping, but the above ideas can transform every trip nonetheless, even while they expand and enrich your own soul with more prayer. And who doesn’t need that?

6 Ways to Pray the Hymnal

Hymns and hymnals are disappearing from many churches nowadays. But hymns will always be an integral, daily part of my life due to my habit of using the hymnal as an aid to prayer.

Praying the hymnal is simple. It takes no practice and little preparation, yet it’s a singularly enriching practice. It will help you pray when you don’t know what to pray. It will help you express the deepest and highest longings of your heart in ways you may never have experienced otherwise.

It will fill your praying with rich phrases and stunning verses until, eventually, your memory will overflow with the lofty lyrics of history’s finest poets even when you’re not reading from the printed page.

Just a few simple suggestions will get you started in the practice of praying the hymnal:

1. Speak the hymn instead of singing it, especially at first.
Resist the temptation to sing. It may be hard at first if you know the hymn, but speaking it helps it become more of a prayer than a piece of music. And many fine hymns you’ve never sung can be added to your prayer repertoire, since not knowing the melody may actually be an advantage.

2. Choose hymns that are prayers themselves, hymns that speak directly to God.
Not all hymns are prayers, of course. Some teach, some testify, some inspire. But hymns that are written as prayers (“Have Thine Own Way,” “O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go” and “Take My Life and Let It Be”) need no revision or adaptation.

3. Adapt the hymn’s wording to make it more personal or applicable to you.
Change the “thees” and “thines” of some hymns to “you” and “yours,” and (maybe) corporate language (“our” and “us”) to singular (“my” and “me”).

4. Focus your heart and mind on what the hymn is saying.
Some people struggle to sincerely pray written words because they have trouble turning words on a page into the prayer of their hearts. It does take concentration but forget the line breaks and rhymes and focus on what the words are saying.

5. Feel free to amplify or meditate on specific lines or words in the hymn.
Praying a hymn can be just the beginning of prayer if you give yourself permission to dig deeper into the sentiment the hymn has helped you express.

6. Pay special attention to hymns that rephrase Scripture.
Many hymns are based on Scripture, but some are Scripture in verse: “The King of Love My Shepherd Is” (Psalm 23), “As Pants the Hart for Cooling Streams” (Psalm 42), and “Bless the Lord, O My Soul” (Psalm 103:1), to name a few.

Add your own flourishes to these suggestions and your praying will soon be music to God’s ears.

6 Ways to Pray on the Run

We all want to pray more. We want to make prayer a priority in our lives. We want to spend more time worshiping God and enjoying His presence.

We want to be more faithful in praying for others. But in spite of our desires and resolutions, most of us find there are just not enough hours in the day.

But what if I told you it is possible to enlarge your prayer life–considerably–without changing your schedule? What if I said you can increase the time you spend praying each day by a half-hour or more with just a few minor adjustments to the things you already do in a given day?

Not only is it possible, it’s fairly easy–if you learn to pray on the run:

1. Pray while you wait.
I have always hated to wait in line–especially at the grocery store. I would tap my fingers, count the items of the person ahead of me in the express checkout lane, browse any magazine or tabloid that happened to be at hand. But not anymore.

Now I use time spent waiting–in bank lines, traffic jams, airport terminals, or doctor’s offices–to pray.

2. Pray in the car.
Once upon a time, music, talk radio, or audiobooks were my constant companions in the car; now God is. I make it a priority to use car trips–whether I’m running a short errand or driving between cities–to draw closer to God and stay faithful in intercession for others.

In fact, on one cross-state road trip, I surprised myself by praying and worshiping for nearly four hours! Not only did the time pass quickly, my prayer life received a major workout.

Man put on hold. Photo by Blend Images, Thinkstock.3. Pray on the phone.
As a small businessman, I spend more time “on hold” and talking to voicemail than I like. Until a routine phone call to the office of a friend changed my prayer life; while on “hold,” I remembered that I had earlier promised to pray for the friend for whom I was waiting.

So I did, and by the time his voice came on the line, I had not only passed the time purposefully, I was also able to tell him that I had fulfilled my promise to pray for him.

4. Pray during commercials.
I’ve heard preachers propose that I shouldn’t be watching television if I’m not “all prayed up.” Well, that’s just fine, except I guess I’m not that disciplined.

But I have developed the occasional habit of muting the television during commercial breaks to pray–sometimes for whomever’s on my heart at that moment, sometimes for friends and family members who may be watching the same show and sometimes even for people I don’t know (such as that show’s actors, writers, and viewers).

5. Pray while exercising.
If you maintain a regular exercise regimen, why not merge it with prayer? You might even consider dividing your workout into prayer periods; for example, you may decide to praise while stretching, confess while warming up, intercede while working out, and give thanks and praise while cooling down.

After all, “physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” (1 Timothy 4:8, NIV)

6. Pray what you see and hear.
I’ve also tried to cultivate the habit of infusing prayer into as many waking moments as possible, by praying short prayers in response to the world around me. When I hear an ambulance siren, I may utter a brief prayer for the victim.

When I see a funeral procession, I pray for the bereaved. When I open a card from a friend, I sometimes pray for the sender.

There are times, of course, when I don’t know what to pray, but I’ll still say something like “Lord, help,” or “Lord, have mercy,” and let the Holy Spirit fill in the blanks (Romans 8:26).

As you try to squeeze more prayer into the odd and mundane moments of your life, you may discover that prayer starts to take over. And soon, perhaps, instead of trying to fit prayer into your life, your prayers will fit more and more God…into your life.

6 Ways to Pray Like the Patriarchs

Perhaps you learned to pray while still on your mother’s knee. Or maybe you followed the example of a pastor or Sunday school teacher. You may have adopted the prayer practices of a friend or mentor. Maybe you even learned to pray in church!

In any case, there are so many avenues and examples of prayer to enlarge and enrich our practice that even the most prayerful among us are still learning–and probably always will be.

And among the lessons we can learn from are the prayers of the patriarchs, those people of God whose stories are recorded in the first book of the Bible: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.

They prayed like few people do these days. Here are six ways you can learn from them and pray like them:

Pray like the patriarchs. Photo by Vitanovski, Thinkstock.1. Pray prayers of invitation.
In Genesis 18:1, the Bible says “The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre.” Abraham was sitting at the entrance of his tent when he saw three men and invited them to stay. Abraham may not have immediately recognized the Lord, but his invitation is a great model for prayer.

He said, “If I have found favor in your eyes, my Lord, do not pass your servant by” (Genesis 18:3, NIV). It can be a prayer of invitation for anywhere, anytime: when entering church, when heading to work, when going to bed, etc.

2. Pray persistent prayers.
Many of Abraham’s encounters with God portray a keen Middle Eastern sensibility in which haggling and bargaining are strong values. It was apparent in the account of God’s covenant with Abraham (Genesis 15) and again when Abraham pleaded for Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:16-33).

Abraham’s tactic can be a helpful model, particularly when you are praying (as he did) based on what you know of God’s character and will: “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes, what if…?” (Genesis 18:27-28, NIV).

3. Pray generous prayers.
You probably know the story of how Jacob stole his brother Esau’s blessing. But did you know that part of that blessing was this wonderful prayer of Isaac: “May God give you heaven’s dew and earth’s richness” (Genesis 27:28, NIV)?

That is a prayer you can pray for your own children…or for anyone (it is one of a dozen or so prayers I often append to emails, praying as I press “send”).

4. Pray outrageous prayers.
Jacob was trembling in fear the night before he expected to meet his brother Esau, whom he had defrauded. So he prayed, “Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau” (Genesis 32:11, NIV). And God answered him, not with tender caresses but with a wrestling match.

But Jacob didn’t give up. In fact, even after being crippled by his Opponent, he demanded a blessing! He said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me” (Genesis 32:26, NIV).

Outrageous! Though he apparently knew that he could have been killed (see Genesis 32:30), he refused to be denied. Try it sometime (but make sure you mean it): “I will not let you go unless….”

5. Pray the prayer of availability.
When you read the book of Genesis, it is nearly impossible to escape the sensation that the patriarchs were much more accustomed to dialogue with God than we are. God is repeatedly portrayed as speaking to them in plain and straightforward language.

Maybe it was different back then. Or maybe it was because they weren’t glued to their smartphones all the time.

In any case, Jacob’s prayer of availability, in Genesis 46:2, is a great prayer to pray every day, throughout the day: “Here I am,” he said. It only takes a second, and the more you pray it–“here I am”–the more likely you are to hear from God and see him move.

6. Pray for your heritage.
When Jacob (or Israel, as he was also called) was taking his final breaths, he bequeathed a prayer to his sons:

May the God before whom my fathers

Abraham and Isaac walked faithfully,

the God who has been my shepherd

all my life to this day,

the Angel who has delivered me from all harm

–may he bless these boys.

May they be called by my name

and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac,

and may they increase greatly

on the earth (Genesis 48:15-16, NIV).

It is a prayer I pray often–adapting and expanding it liberally–for my children and grandchildren. I have prayed it in dedicating newborn babies in church. It is a marvelous thing to pray this 3500-year-old prayer for 21st century people.

Amazing, isn’t it, how utterly current and helpful these patriarchal prayers are? Which do you plan to incorporate into your prayer habits? Are there any you’ve already prayed? With what result?

6 Ways to Pray Like Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln, whose birthday is February 12, may have been the most eloquent president in American history. His speeches—particularly the Gettysburg Address and his Second Inaugural Address—are among the finest ever delivered. And multiple historical sources (including Lincoln himself) characterize him as a man of frequent and often desperate prayer. So it is surprising that we have no surviving text of any vocal prayer uttered by the 16th president.

That doesn’t mean, however, that we have no insight into how Abraham Lincoln prayed. We do. And there is much benefit we can derive from praying like Abe, in these six ways at least:

1) Pray privately.
During his presidency, Lincoln often attended a weekly prayer meeting held at the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church near the White House. When doing so, however, he chose to sit alone in the pastor’s study with the door to the chapel ajar. He was there not for show but (as he told the pastor, Dr. Phineas D. Gurley) because he was able to pray without distraction and without anyone trying to impress him.

2) Pray in writing.
His most famous letter is one he wrote to Mrs. Lydia Bixby, whom he was told had lost five sons in the war between the states. He wrote, “I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours, to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of Freedom.” Writing your prayers—whether to others or in a journal no one else will ever see—can marvelously focus your thoughts and prayers.

3) Make time for prayer.
Though he was elected twice, Lincoln was president for a mere 49 months. In that time he issued nine formal calls for the American public to fast and pray—an average frequency of one proclamation every five-and-a-half months. He clearly believed in making time for focused, united, purposeful prayer.

4) Be specific in prayer.
In his first “National Fast Day,” President Lincoln’s words reveal the careful reason and specific thought he gave to prayer:

“And whereas when our own beloved Country, once, by blessing of God, united, prosperous, and happy, is now afflicted with factions and civil war, it is peculiarly fit for us to recognize the hand of God in this terrible visitation, and in sorrowful remembrance of our own faults and crimes as a nation and as individuals, to humble ourselves before Him, and to pray for His mercy, to pray that we may be spared further punishment, though most justly deserved; that our arms may be blessed and made effectual for the re-establishment of law, order and peace, through the wide extent of our country; and that the inestimable boon of civil and religious liberty, earned under His guidance and blessing, by the labors and sufferings of our fathers, may be restored in all its original excellence.”

5) Pray with hope and humility.
In his Second Inaugural Address, Lincoln’s prayerful words were characterized by both hope and humility: “Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet if God wills that it continues…until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid another drawn with the sword…so still it must be said that the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.”

6) Pray fervently.
Perhaps Lincoln’s most famous words on the subject of prayer reflect an awareness of his great responsibility, personal inadequacy and fervency: “I have been driven many times upon my knees,” he once confided in an associate, “by the overwhelming conviction that I had no where else to go.”

SUBMIT YOUR PRAYER REQUEST HERE

6 Ways to Prayer Journal

Some people think only writers or “deep thinkers” keep a journal. But you don’t have to be either to use journaling as a way to deepen and broaden your prayer life.

I have kept a prayer journal for a couple of decades now, but I haven’t done it the same way all that time. I find it helpful to try new things in prayer and in journaling, so every once in a while I will switch things around and follow a new practice. Here are several of the ways I have journaled my prayers:

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1. Journal and pray.
For some time I kept a separate journal and prayer journal—two different books. Then one year as I began a fresh new book, I decided to journal everything in the same volume, just using a different color for my prayers. This was easier than switching back and forth between two books, and also made it easier to take my journal with me when I traveled. It also helped me pray more conversationally, as I would often find myself praying as I wrote without switching pens.

START A PRAYER JOURNAL IN YOUR DAILY GUIDEPOSTS PLANNER

2. Journal your thanks.
Some years ago during a battle with depression (and related problems sleeping), my counselor suggested that I journal at least three prayers of thanks every evening before I went to bed. Doing so made a difference; I found it hard to be grateful and depressed at the same time. I liked it so much that I continued the practice after the depression abated and have renewed it every so often over the years since.

3. Journal your praise.
During another period of prayer journaling, I focused most of my written prayers on praising (especially since praise is usually the form of prayer I most neglect). Most of the time, I simply started my prayers, “Today, God, I praise you for . . .” Since I did that journaling in the mornings, the practice sharpened my awareness of God and His wonderful works throughout the day.

4. Journal your questions.
It didn’t last more than a few weeks, but during one stretch of my prayer journal I asked at least one question a day of God, like the psalmists (“Why do the nations rage?” “Why do the wicked prosper?” etc.). My questions were often more selfish (such as, “Why can’t I get along with Brad?” or “What am I not seeing in this situation?”), but they did help me to express myself honestly to God.

5. Journal your dreams.
As I look back over my journals, I see that I used those pages frequently to place my dreams before God—for a grandchild’s healing, for a writing opportunity, for reconciliation or recovery. For some reason, I find it easier to dream on the written page, perhaps because the act of writing helps me to focus my thoughts.

6. Journal your answered prayers.
One of the great benefits of a prayer journal is the ability it affords to remember and record answered prayers. Sometimes I have written prayers of thanks for answered prayer every evening for a stretch. At other times I placed an asterisk or a cross in the margin beside every answered prayer; as a result some pages in my prayer journal are vivid affirmations that God is a prayer-answering God.

These are just six ideas for prayer journaling, just scratching the surface. But if it is a help in getting anyone started—or helping anyone continue—then I’ll count that as yet another answer to prayer.

6 Reasons to Pray with Your Eyes Open

Fold your hands, close your eyes and say your prayers. That’s how it’s done, right? After all, maybe you’ve been in the same kind of worship services I have, when the altar call begins and the preacher intones, “Now, with every head bowed and eye closed…”

But there are a thousand ways to pray and praying with closed eyes is one of them. Ignatius of Loyola (in his Spiritual Exercises) and Teresa of Avila (in The Interior Castle) suggested that when praying with eyes closed, “the senses and exterior surroundings… lose their hold,” and the soul achieves a greater focus on the presence of God and the prayer being offered.

Interestingly, though, the Bible doesn’t mention praying with eyes closed. In private, yes. Standing, bowing and kneeling, yes. But no requirement that we close our eyes. In fact, there are times when it may be best to pray with eyes open—wide open, even. Here are a few:

1. When pacing or prayer walking (obviously). At such times, keeping your eyes open can prevent bodily injury.

2. When offering praise, especially when it’s related to Creation. An inspiring vista or soaring eagle may elicit prayers that are richer with eyes open.

3. When blessing someone. Among my favorite pastoral prayers have been offered while looking in the eyes of a baptismal candidate or a child being dedicated.

4. When praying for strangers and passersby. In his classic book on prayer, Prayer: The Mightiest Force in the World, Frank Laubach described praying anonymously for strangers on a train and often seeing the person look around as if the prayer had been felt. And maybe it had.

5. When witnessing suffering or injustice. As tempting as it is to turn away from difficult sights, it is sometimes best to be a witness as we pray.

6. Anytime. Just as there is no moment when prayer is inappropriate, there is no situation that requires praying with eyes closed—and many times when keeping our eyes wide open can make our prayers more pointed and powerful.

6 Psalms to Start Your Day with Good News

Every morning, as I eat my oatmeal, I read three psalms. Some are longer, some are shorter, but they all satisfy and speak to some part of my day. I make a point of not reading the news till later. Just a glance at the headlines at most. It can wait. Start off with the good news.

1) Take delight in the Lord, and he shall give you your heart’s desire. (Psalm 37:4)
Still think of God as that gloomy bearded figure in the sky? Think again. As this psalm reminds me, we are to “take delight” in the Lord. Like savoring the blueberries in my oatmeal. They’re good for the heart. As is our delight in God.

2) Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. (Psalm 51:11)
Some days I feel weary and down. Filled up with worries for the future. A verse like this reminds me of where to put my hope and trust. How to renew my spirit.

3) For God alone my soul in silence waits; truly, my hope is in him. (Psalm 62:6)
As anyone who has read me knows, I believe in the power of silence. Before I even pray the psalms I sit on our lumpy sofa, close my eyes and get silent. As the title of my book Even Silence Is Praise rightly puts it, waiting in silence is a way to praise. Paying attention to the noisy mind is to be able to let go of the noisy mind and put hope in the right place.

4) Remember, Lord, how short life is, how frail you have made all flesh. (Psalm 89:47)
I don’t think of myself as all that old, and yet, heck, I’m old enough for Medicare and Social Security—God bless them—which means I’m heading towards the last decades of life. This Psalm reminds me not to ignore the internal or external aches that can come with age. Knowing how short life is reminds us to honor the preciousness of each day.

5) For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his faithfulness endures from age to age. (Psalm 100:4)
This psalm I remember memorizing back in third grade Sunday school. Mercy. What a great word. How rare it appears in our everyday life. And faithfulness. Those virtues of God are the long-lasting ones. The things to hold onto in the busyness of our days.

6) I lift up my eyes to the hills; from where is my help to come? My help comes from the Lord… (Psalm 12:1-2)
Look up. Look to nature. Look to the view outside your window. Go for a walk. See the glorious sky, the clouds coming and going. Observe the power of a tree rising up, reaching for the heavens. I can look out my window and see the Hudson River and the cliffs of New Jersey. Like lifting my eyes to the hills. We each have these views we can see. Take them and use them as opportunities to praise the Lord.

6 Biblical Qualities of God to Use in Your Prayers

Stuck a bit in your prayer routine? Need to expand your view of God? Yearning to grow in your faith? Try this: think about the different merciful qualities of God and then use them in your prayer. Take just one, say it a few times to yourself. Then try another. And another.

Obviously, the qualities of God are many. Sometimes I find myself drawn to a certain one because it mirrors something I need in my life at that moment. Reassurance, forgiveness, understanding, support. How comforting it is to know that God is so much bigger than me.

Here are just a few of the adjectives—with a Bible verse that helps support that quality. If the word itself is not enough. Try focusing on the verse. It’s fun as well as enlightening.

1) Infinite. “O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways!” (Romans 11:33). Scratching your head about something in your faith life? Try taking just a step back and look at God with wonder.

2) All-powerful. “Ah, Lord God! It is You who made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for You” (Jeremiah 32:17). Nothing. Got that? Pray it. Live it. Nothing is too hard for God!

3) Good. “The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces” (Psalm 119:72). I often have to remind myself that the Psalms, in their original incarnation, were all sung. When you sing something, it can speak to your spirit with surprising depth. Even if you just hum, “Good.”

4) Loving. “Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love” (1John 4:7-8). Remember that old song, “Love Makes the World Go Round?” We know it. We feel it in our lives. And that greater love that is guiding it.

5) Unchanging. “Long ago You laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You endure…” (Psalm 102:25-26). Imagine that. God is long-lasting beyond our belief. Beyond even the existence of the heavens and the earth.

Long-time Guideposts contributor Elizabeth Sherrill often says, “The only prayer God can’t answer is, ‘Don’t let anything change.’” Our lives here on earth are constantly changing. There is one thing that doesn’t change.

6) Wise. “The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens; by His knowledge the deeps broke open, and the clouds drop down the dew” (Proverbs 3:19-20). I tend to assign wisdom to all sorts of brainiac scientists, researchers and scholars. I am unspeakably grateful for the ways in which they have improved our lives. Just think of the medical breakthroughs that have extended our longevity. But there is a heavenly wisdom that is beyond any of our understanding. I need that in prayer.

5 Ways to Pray While Waiting to Board Your Flight

With the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic behind us for now (Lord, hear our prayer), people are flying again. Many airports are returning to full schedules, long lines and crowded terminals. Passengers are waiting. Then hurrying. Then waiting. And waiting some more.

That’s how the process works, right? It can be a frustrating and stressful experience. But it doesn’t have to be—especially if we learn to seize those moments as opportunities for prayer.

Prayer? In an airport? While waiting in line? While hurrying to my gate?

Yes, absolutely. A relatively small shift in perspective can turn almost any airport experience into a holy moment. Here are five suggestions to try:

1) Surrender control.

I used to get so frustrated by complications and delays when I had to fly somewhere. I tend to be a control freak, which is tough for any air traveler because there’s almost nothing you can control at the airport—not the weather, crew shortages, mechanical problems, gate changes, lost luggage or canceled flights. Years ago, however, I made a conscious effort to surrender my agenda, schedule and comfort to God when I leave on a trip. I tell Him that I’ll look for His hand in any change or challenge that comes my way. That little prayer makes a huge difference, a reminder that I’m not in control.

2) Find the chapel.

Many airports have interfaith chapels—even services. Some airports have more than one chapel (Dallas-Fort Worth, for example, has five!). They can be islands of serenity in the hustle-and-bustle of flying, but they’re sometimes out of the way. It’s worth the trouble of asking directions and taking the extra time and effort to visit. I’ve often spent a few moments of quiet meditation in an airport chapel while waiting for a flight or during a layover.

3) Pray for your trip.

There’s so much to do when packing and preparing for a trip. I often forget to pray as I’m getting ready. So, when I find myself in line at the ticket counter or security checkpoint, I correct that oversight. I pray for safe travel, on-time departure and arrival, successful connections, smooth transfers at my destination and “God moments” along the way.

4) Pray for strangers.

So many people. All kinds of people are pressed together in airports and airplanes. I try to consciously look up from my laptop or device occasionally to notice the people around me. I especially pray for those who are obviously stressed as well as overwhelmed parents, exhausted travelers and people who may be dealing with linguistic obstacles. When I dash into a store or restaurant, I like to pray for the cashiers and servers and always offer a generous tip and encouraging words. I’ve even offered to pray “a 10-second prayer” for someone on the spot—an offer that’s frequently accepted.

5) Pray for your crew.

I like to get to my gate as early as possible so I don’t have to worry about missing the boarding call or the plane leaving without me. Once there, I pray for my fellow passengers, gate agents and especially for the crew, long before they arrive. I pray selfishly for pilots to be at their best and for flight attendants to be having a good day. But I also pray, more or less selflessly, for them to have a good flight, a safe arrival and a warm welcome wherever their day’s journey concludes.

Turning a flight itinerary into a prayer exercise changes attitudes and opens doors to blessings all along the route. Sure, it also helps the time to pass more quickly, but the best part is enjoying a sense of God’s presence and activity all along the way. And that makes for a good trip, wherever I’m going.

5 Ways to Pray on Social Media

You probably already use one or more forms of social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+ and others. And, if your networks are anything like mine, you probably see numerous expressions of happiness or hurt, requests for prayer, and various news items of interest.

Most people browse their social media feeds several times a day, to pass the time. Others use it to keep track of their kids or other family and friends.

But social media also presents a prime opportunity–and a frequent one–to pray as well. See if any of these ideas will work for you:

1. Don’t promise to pray. Pray!
I probably see a dozen or more requests for prayer–some quite urgent and desperate–every day. I used to respond to these like most people, with a promise to pray (a promise I would then often forget to fulfill).

But I’ve changed my ways. Now, instead of promising to pray, I take a moment or two to actually pray, by typing a response such as, “Lord, have mercy; send comfort and peace” or “Lord, hear our prayer: heal and restore.”

2. Post a prayer.
Rather than posting or tweeting prayer requests, try posting a prayer and invite others to pray it with you. This practice goes both ways. Instead of tweeting or posting, “Please pray for my trip to Vancouver,” why not say, “God, please make this trip to Vancouver safe and successful”?

Others can then pray along, especially if you preface it or follow it up with a comment inviting others to pray with you. And keep in mind that your specificity can help others pray with greater interest and precision, too.

3. Send a birthday prayer.
Instead of sending birthday wishes, why not send a birthday prayer? Some days I pray for a dozen people who are celebrating a birthday, simply by posting (and praying as I do), “Happy birthday! May the shadow of Christ fall on you. May the garment of Christ cover you. May the breath of Christ breathe in you.”

In cases where I know my friend or contact is of another religion or might be resistant to that prayer, I will offer something less specific, but with no less prayer behind it.

4. Welcome a new follower with a prayer.
When you welcome a new follower or accept a new “friend,” say–or send–a short prayer for that person. It’s just as easy to acknowledge a new follower by saying, “May God give you heaven’s dew and earth’s richness (Genesis 27:28)”as it is to say, “Thanks for adding me.”

5. Like, retweet and share.
When you see a prayer online that echoes your heart’s desire (such as those on Guideposts’ “OurPrayer” app or my “31 Ways to Pray for Your Kids”, take the time to “like,” retweet, or share it–or take a screenshot and post it (or even send it as a text message).

Social media is already helping people pray for themselves and others around the world. Who knows? It may even spark a spiritual revolution in you and among those you know and love.

Do you pray on social media? How often? Do you have any tips or tactics to share? Please do so in the comments thread below.